Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Shafiqul Alam, has ruled out any possibility of delaying the upcoming national election, reaffirming that the polls will be held in the first half of February.

“The election must be held in the first half of February. This is a commitment of our interim government,” he told journalists on Friday (Sept 12) after visiting the ancestral home of Muslim renaissance poet Farrukh Ahmed in Sreepur upazila of Magura.

Addressing concerns over conflicting statements by political parties, Shafiqul Alam said, “If there are parties, there will be differences of opinion. Otherwise, why are there different parties? But we are repeating, the elections must be held by 15 February.”

He further said, “It will not be possible if anyone tries to foil the upcoming national election.”

Terming the polls crucial for Bangladesh, the Press Secretary said, “This election is very important, as it will not only shape the upcoming elections but also guide the future course of Bangladesh politics.”